KOCHI: They took a walk through the hallowed precints of their alma mater,which had shaped their lives and taken them to the highest echelons of power and position in the country. Old students, the famous and the not so famous, of Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, came together on Saturday to relive their glorious college days.The occasion was the first Maharajakeeyasangamam, graced by former students like K G Balakrishanan, A K Antony,Vaikom Viswan, 
Thomas Isaac, Benoy Viswam, Venu Rajamony and K R Viswambharan.For many it was the first visit to the college after bidding farewell years ago, and for all an emotional reunion. ``This is my second visit after leaving college,’’ said Chief Justice Balakrishnan, inaugurating the meet. ``The first time was to enrol my son.’’ He completed a bachelor’s course in zoology 43 years ago, and made it a point to spend a few minutes in his classroom with classmates who had arrived for the function.Maharaja’s moulded Defence Minister Antony’s life. ``This campus has a secular atmosphere which you don’t see on any other campus in the country.’’ ``What made this campus so attractive to me is the atmosphere,’’ said Finance Minister Isaac who was college chairman during the Emergency days. He came with his daughter Sera Dueisc, a college student in Chicago.The days on campus - with its middle court, canopy, students’ strikes and all - have etched an unfading picture in Forest Minister Viswam’s mind. He was a Malayalam student. ``I was an AISF activist. Others called our union `Aal-Illa Students Federation,’ but our conviction that ours was the best union helped us to work on the campus.’’Maharaja’s days inculcated a passion for foreign service in Venu Rajamony, Indian Consul General in Dubai and former Express reporter.While in college, he went to Canada on an exchange programme. That set a new goal in his life - foreign service.K R Viswambaran, KAU Vice-Chancellor and Maharaja’s Old Students Association president, became a student of the college by accident. He was on his way to join a college in Palakkad, but ran out of money when he reached Kochi. Thus he landed in Maharaja’s. Nearly 40 couples whose love bloomed on the campus retreated to the canopy of the tree where they first opened their hearts.To everybody’s disappointment, the celebrated love-birds of the campus - Vayalar Ravi and Mercy Ravi - did not turn up. Ravi had to attend a meeting in Delhi and Mercy was not keeping well.
Thomas Isaac, Benoy Viswam, Venu Rajamony and K R Viswambharan.For many it was the first visit to the college after bidding farewell years ago, and for all an emotional reunion. ``This is my second visit after leaving college,’’ said Chief Justice Balakrishnan, inaugurating the meet. ``The first time was to enrol my son.’’ He completed a bachelor’s course in zoology 43 years ago, and made it a point to spend a few minutes in his classroom with classmates who had arrived for the function.Maharaja’s moulded Defence Minister Antony’s life. ``This campus has a secular atmosphere which you don’t see on any other campus in the country.’’ ``What made this campus so attractive to me is the atmosphere,’’ said Finance Minister Isaac who was college chairman during the Emergency days. He came with his daughter Sera Dueisc, a college student in Chicago.The days on campus - with its middle court, canopy, students’ strikes and all - have etched an unfading picture in Forest Minister Viswam’s mind. He was a Malayalam student. ``I was an AISF activist. Others called our union `Aal-Illa Students Federation,’ but our conviction that ours was the best union helped us to work on the campus.’’Maharaja’s days inculcated a passion for foreign service in Venu Rajamony, Indian Consul General in Dubai and former Express reporter.While in college, he went to Canada on an exchange programme. That set a new goal in his life - foreign service.K R Viswambaran, KAU Vice-Chancellor and Maharaja’s Old Students Association president, became a student of the college by accident. He was on his way to join a college in Palakkad, but ran out of money when he reached Kochi. Thus he landed in Maharaja’s. Nearly 40 couples whose love bloomed on the campus retreated to the canopy of the tree where they first opened their hearts.To everybody’s disappointment, the celebrated love-birds of the campus - Vayalar Ravi and Mercy Ravi - did not turn up. Ravi had to attend a meeting in Delhi and Mercy was not keeping well.